Walmart, or Canada's Real Superstore?

Booking reservations in Canada's National Parks proved to be a bit tricky for us, since we'd planned on arriving on the Canada Day weekend.  (For you Americans, Canada Day, July 1, is much like our Fourth of July.)  We didn't make our reservations far enough in advance -- just because we were too busy seeing and doing and planning  for more immediate stays.  Anyway, when we finally got around to trying to make the reservation we found Sunday was all sold out, but we could arrive on Monday, July 1, Canada Day. 

Because of the uncertainty of how long the border crossing would take, plus the fact that we wanted to restock our fresh produce before heading to Banff, it was our plan to stop about halfway between Glacier National Park and Banff National Park.  But the few campgrounds we had called at the halfway point were booked, again because of the holiday, so we decided to stay at the Walmart in Cranbrook, BC.    Our internet resources had informed us that RVer's were welcome to park overnight at the Cranbrook Walmart, but that turned out not to be the case.  At the service desk they told us we couldn't stay because of  construction across the parking lot.   We called a campground about 7 miles up the road, found they didn't take reservations so they had plenty of space, and so that became our new plan.

But just as we were about to head from out the Walmart,  a man in a big white truck pulled up.    I thought he was a security guy asking us to leave.  It turns out he's a retiree thinking about buying a motorhome and is interested in our brand of motorhome.  We chatted with him for about 15 minutes.  He mentioned that the Walmart doesn't allow overnighters because people were camping in the parking lot -- using lawn chairs and having campfires!  He suggested we try across the road at Canada's Real Superstore.  

By this time it was very hot outside and also inside the rig.  We walked across the parking lot  to the Superstore and noticed there were at least 3 RV's in the lot.  Inside, the AC felt great.  Jim asked at the desk, and somehow the service persons got the impression that we wanted to camp rather than park, and there is a difference.  A campground in town was recommended.  They told us that Walmart didn't allow people to stay because people had started dumping sewage in their parking lot.  The more we talked, it came out that people were allowed to park for one night.  When we explained that was all we wanted to do and that we'd be out in the morning,  the two women at the desk said it was fine.

So, Canada's Real Superstore was our home for the night.

 

Welcome to Canada

We'd been advised about what you're allowed to bring into Canada and we'd heard stories about some people who had their RVs searched at the border crossing.  We were told about produce being confiscated, and on advice we received, we used up the fresh produce we had and planned on replenishing our supplies after we entered Canada.   For days we worried about having things in our home strewn about during a search -- not that we had anything to hide -- and how much time the border crossing would take.

In the end, we showed our passports, supplied the license number of the car we were towing, stated where we were going, the border agent smiled, was friendly and wished us a good trip, and we were across the border into Canada in less than five minutes.  All our worries about searches and confiscations were for naught.  We looked at each other in surprise and asked "That's it???"

 

Does it always rain in Glacier National Park?

No one told us that it doesn't always rain in Glacier, except one friend who told us that "no, it doesn't always rain -- sometimes it snows"!  Well,  after the first rainy day, the sun came out and it was glorious.  And hot.  We spent a day exploring the lower parts of the park, and a day exploring and running errands in Kalispell, the nearest big town, 30 miles away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 On Saturday, our last day in Montana, we took a Red Bus Tour up to the highest point in Glacier National Park.  The driver was excellent -- she shared a lot of info and interesting stories.  The weather was perfect.  There was quite a bit of snow at the top but the walkways around the visitor center were cleared.  And the snow melt created abundant sparkling waterfalls down the mountainsides.  Jim  enjoyed being able to just look at the scenery and not have to drive. 

The "buses" were built in 1933-34, but have been totally restored and modernized.  There are about 30 of them.  Each holds 18 people including the driver, is 26 feet long, and rides more like a car than a bus.  It was pretty comfortable, so the suspension must have been rebuilt too.

For more fantastic views of Glacier NP, click Glacier.

"This is how I remember Glacier ..."

Choteau to Glacier National Park. We spent the night in a small town park, with one other motorhome nearby.  It was quiet and safe, although not very pretty -- the park was next to a large grain elevator, and the trees that had once blocked the view had been cut down.  But we faced a row of trees on the other side, and the price of $8 was right.

In the morning we set of on our journey northwest to Glacier National Park.  This was part of the change in plans.  We had been to Glacier in '82 when we took our first cross-country National Park trip.  It rained the whole time.  We had debated whether we wanted to give Glacier another chance.

We passed more beautiful scenery and lots of construction, and sometimes a combination of both.






 

As we approached the eastern edge of the park the sky got blacker.  As we continued around the southern edge of the park, it started to rain.  Jim commented, "This is how I remember Glacier."

For more pictures of this drive, click Choteau to Glacier.

 

Change of Plans and First People's Bison Jump

(Helena to Choteau, MT)

Our plan to head to north to Calgary and then west to Banff National Park had to be changed when we heard about the extreme flooding and resulting road closings between Calgary and Banff.  We decided to head west, then north.  Included in the change of plans was a stop at the First People's Buffalo Jump State Park. 

This is the biggest buffalo jump -- the u-shaped cliff and the prairie extend for miles.  At the visitor center, the park manager talked to us about the First Peoples and how they used the buffalo jump. 

Then we hiked 3 miles across the prairie and up the cliff face, on switchbacks, to the cliff top.  We enjoyed great and colorful views of the prairie where 'First Peoples'  from multiple tribes would gather for the hunt. The hunt involved collaboration of about 300 people, who would kill and process about 150 bison, which would sustain them for the winter.
 

 

 

 

Note:  The only buffalo we saw were in the visitor center!

 

To see more pictures of the Buffalo Jump State Park and the road to the next stop click Helena to Choteau.

 

 

 

Frank Lloyd Wright's Big Orange House

We were advised that the two best things to do while in Helena were the Gates of the Mountains boat tour and the train tour of the city.  The train is not really a train -- more like a Disneyworld tram. 

 The tour was great -- it took us through the government area, the shopping area, the old pioneer and gold miners area, and the wealthy old home area.  Helena is the only gold mining town that is not a ghost town.  At one time there were more millionaires living in Helena than anywhere else.  We saw Reeder's Alley, where the single men who were there for the goldrush lived.  The tiny buildings, designed in the 1800's by a Philadelphia brick mason, have been converted to offices, shops and a restaurant.  After the tour we went back there to explore and have lunch.  We met a woman, and her caregiver, who told us she lives in a big orange house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the homes that the tour goes by.  (More on that below.)

The third best thing to do in Helena is to visit the City Park.  We drove up a hill behind Reeder's Alley, to see the fancy (newer, modern) homes, and came across the entrance to the Park, high on a hill.  It was time to stretch our legs and go for a walk. 

 

 

 

 

We had great views of the city, but the more uphill we climbed, the more we realized we weren't going to walk the whole trail.

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the car, we discussed what to do next.  Jim said "Let's see if we can find the big orange house". 

As we stopped for a traffic light in the center of Helena we saw a couple of deer prancing down the center of the street. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Without knowing the specific street, we knew the area, and figured there couldn't be too many orange houses.  And we found it -- the woman and her caregiver were sitting out front.  We waved and we were invited in to tour the house.  Our new acquaintance is Murel (she pronounces it Merril).  The house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built by two of his students. There are definite Frank Lloyd Wright touches everywhere.  Murel inherited the house from her father-in-law, who, from what Murel said, had his finger in a lot of different things.  It's a huge home and while the influence of Wright is there, Murel's put her own personal touches into the decorating (she was an interior decorator).  It was quite an interesting tour and we enjoyed our time with Murel.  It was obvious that she enjoyed sharing her home with us.

Here's a link to some more pictures of our day touring Helena.

Gates of the Mountains

Merriweather Lewis named these rocky canyons the "Gates of the Rocky Mountains", because, as you approach it on the river it looks as though gates are opening.  The only way to see the effect is by boat.
  

 

For more pictures of our boat trip to the Gates of the mountains click Gates